Terror In A Tale Of Two Cities

The Essence of a Revolution There have been countless revolutions in the world, all having different causes and outcomes. Many are known for their violence, and the unnecessarily bloody way in which revolutionaries try to overthrow the system they disagree with. The French Revolution is widely known for its brutality and for the extreme rage that the revolutionaries felt because of injustice and oppression. Because the French Revolution is so fierce, memorable, and complex, many authors have tried to accomplish the challenging task of capturing the real character of it. Charles Dickens successfully captures the essence of the French Revolution in the novel by conveying to the reader the main causes of the revolution, the violence
This shows that their feelings and goals drove them to act against the injustices they disagreed with. When the old system of monarchy was finally overthrown, there came much bloodshed. The period of time when many were killed in the Guillotine[2], was named ‘The Reign of Terror’. Dickens portrayal of The Terror in A Tale of Two Cities is perhaps what is best known about this novel. It makes up the main plot of the story, and it is as dramatic as it is accurate in historical events. A source states, “All those men of talent or power who were seen as a threat to the new revolution were sent to the Guillotine. In the course of this Reign of Terror this ungodly regime managed to execute thousands of men who were considered as having the potential to stand up against the regime,” (Reign). Robespierre, the main leader of the Terror, led it by accusing and executing people (in most cases) for being aristocrats or for being part of counter-revolutions. In the novel, the reader gets a good sense of this through the trial and verdict of Charles Darnay, who is part of the Évremonde noble family. He was denounced by a revolutionary, and in the trial the jury comes to the conclusion that Darnay will be executed by beheading in the guillotine, as many others were for the same reason. The reader understands the Terror in A Tale of Two Cities by
Throughout the novel, it is understood that the revolution is for the better and is necessary. However, the way that the people act to achieve this revolution is often violent, pitiless, and cruel. Apart from showing this to the reader, Dickens also writes in a way that changes the reader’s perspective of the world. The novel raises questions about the world around us and how people might act and have acted when unfair situations arise, and it leaves the reader pondering the current events and crises of their time. In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens not only shows the reader why revolutions occur, but also exposes possibilities for the future and for